Uroflowmetry apparatus, mobile device comprising the same and uroflowmetry method

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an uroflowmeter which includes: a sensor having a signal transmitter transmitting an input signal to a detection area and a signal receiver receiving an echo signal reflected from urine passing through the detection area; a signal processing unit calculating uroflowmetry data based on a difference between the input signal and the echo signal, the uroflowmetry data being data about a flow of the urine passing through the detection area; and a diagnosis unit diagnosing urinary disorders of a test subject by comparing the uroflowmetry data calculated by the signal processing unit with preset reference uroflowmetry data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A uroflowmeter comprising:
 a sensor having a signal transmitter transmitting an input signal to a detection area and a signal receiver receiving an echo signal reflected from urine passing through the detection area; 
 a signal processing unit calculating uroflowmetry data based on a difference between the input signal and the echo signal, the uroflowmetry data being data about a flow of the urine passing through the detection area; and 
 a diagnosis unit diagnosing urinary disorders of a test subject by comparing the uroflowmetry data calculated by the signal processing unit with preset reference uroflowmetry data, 
 wherein the uroflowmetry data comprises a urinary flow rate at a distal end of a test subject's genitalia, 
 wherein the sensor comprises: 
 a first sensor having a first signal transmitter transmitting a first input signal in a first direction toward the detection area and a first signal receiver receiving a first echo signal reflected from the urine passing through the detection area; and 
 a second sensor having a second signal transmitter transmitting a second input signal in a second direction crossing the first direction toward the detection area and a second signal receiver receiving a second echo signal reflected from the urine passing through the detection area, 
 wherein the signal processing unit calculates a velocity of a falling urine stream discharged from the test subject by vector summation of a first urinary flow rate obtained from the first sensor and a second urinary flow rate obtained from the second sensor, the first urinary flow rate being a flow rate of the urine passing through the detection area with respect to the first direction, the second urinary flow rate being a flow rate of the urine passing through the detection area with respect to the second direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The uroflowmeter according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one selected from among a pulse radar, a continuous wave (CW) radar, and a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. 
     
     
       3. The uroflowmeter according to  claim 1 , wherein the uroflowmetry data comprises a time-dependent urinary flow rate from beginning to end of urination. 
     
     
       4. The uroflowmeter according to  claim 1 , wherein the uroflowmetry data further comprises a volume of urine output, the volume of urine output being calculated based on the urinary flow rate and a radar cross-section (RCS) of the echo signal varying depending on a size of a cross-sectional area of a urine stream. 
     
     
       5. The uroflowmeter according to  claim 1 , wherein the uroflowmetry data further comprises the number of urine streams. 
     
     
       6. A portable terminal comprising:
 a uroflometer including a sensor having a signal transmitter transmitting an input signal to a detection area and a signal receiver receiving an echo signal reflected from urine passing through the detection area; a signal processing unit calculating uroflowmetry data based on a difference between the input signal and the echo signal, the uroflowmetry data being data about a flow of the urine passing through the detection area; and a diagnosis unit diagnosing urinary disorders of a test subject by comparing the uroflowmetry data calculated by the signal processing unit with preset reference uroflowmetry data, 
 wherein the uroflowmetry data comprises a urinary flow rate at a distal end of a test subject's genitalia, 
 wherein the sensor comprises: 
 a first sensor having a first signal transmitter transmitting a first input signal in a first direction toward the detection area and a first signal receiver receiving a first echo signal reflected from the urine passing through the detection area; and 
 a second sensor having a second signal transmitter transmitting a second input signal in a second direction crossing the first direction toward the detection area and a second signal receiver receiving a second echo signal reflected from the urine passing through the detection area, 
 wherein the signal processing unit calculates a velocity of a falling urine stream discharged from the test subject by vector summation of a first urinary flow rate obtained from the first sensor and a second urinary flow rate obtained from the second sensor, the first urinary flow rate being a flow rate of the urine passing through the detection area with respect to the first direction, the second urinary flow rate being a flow rate of the urine passing through the detection area with respect to the second direction.